Process of obtaining absolute alcohol



July 1o, 192s. 1,676,735

' D. B. KEYES PROCESS OF OBTAINNG ABSOLUTE ALCOHOL n Fi1ed nec.2v, 1922 Patented July 10, 192,8.

` UNITED STATES PATENT oar-'loa'.

DONALD B. KEYES, F NEW YORK, N.' Y., ASSIGNOR TO U. S. INDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL O0., i

' A. CORPORATION 0F WEST VIRGINIA.

PROCESS 0F OBTAINING ABSOLUTE IILCOHOL.

Application flied December 27, 1922. Serial No. 609301.

My invention relates particularly to a process whereby substancesof various kinds may bereadily separated so as to obtain one or more of the constituents in a high degree of urity 'therefrom but vit has relation especially to the production of absolute alcohol. The object of my invention is to provide a process whereby substances of. various kinds may be separated from mixtures or l0 solutions thereof in an advantageous manner so as to obtain one or more of the constituents in a substantially pure form and has relation to the recovery of any liquid which will form a ternary constant boilin l'smixture with a -second and a third liqui For example, it has relation especially to the recovery of ethyl alcohol from solutions thereof in a second liquid such as water and in the presence of a third liquid, such as a 2o hydrocarbon. Instead of the alcohol it will be understood that many other liquids come within the purview of my invention, other examples being methyl alcohol, or the vay rious propyl or butyl alcohols, or esters such as methyl Yor eth l acetates or propionates,

or instead the alsdehydes such as acetaldehyde, or ketones such as actetone methyl .ethyl ketone or dicthyl ketone, The second liquid, instead of water, may be, for ex 80 am le, acetone' when used with lcarbon tetrac loride as a third liquid for the purpose of obtaining absolute meth 1 alcohol. For the third liquid any oneo many di'erent substances can be used although I prefer to u; use benzol. Instead, however, examples of other hydrocarbons which may be usedl are, for example, the araliin hydrocarbons among which may be mentioned hexane, heptanel or any mixtureor fraction contain- ,0 ing an aliphatic hydrocarbon'. Again, in-

stead there may be used', any# aromatic hydrocarbon, or Iany vhalogenated hydrocarbon such, for instance, as carbon tetrachloride, ethylene, dichloride, ethyl chloride 5 or ethyl bromide, or, inthe place 'thereof I may use a slightly soluble ester as ethyl acetate or ethyl butyrate or-butyl acetate or propyl propionate or amyl acetate, or in stead alcohols ,such as butyl alcohol or amyl.

0 alcohol. In this connection it is desirable to use a third liquid which will form a ternary mixture as a distillate of such a character as to separate out into a plurality of layers. A

5 A further object is to provide a process of `This increases the elciency of the dehydratdescription thereof.

this character invwhich a dehydrating column 1s used to obtain the alcohol or other l1qu1d to be dehydrated, .in which the top of thecolumn 1s sup lied with a reflux of l the tlnrd llquid in su stantially pure form. 00

ing column inasmuch as the dehydration is carried out with more economv in energy and cost of appa1 atus. Still, a further object of m invention is to provide a scrubbing l1qu1 for the condensate from the dehydratmg column, which scrubbing li uid is comprised of the water and resi ual alcohol secured as a by-product from the distillation of the dilute alcohol recovered from the'dehydratingr column distillate in order to avoid the loss of any alcohol. Again, another ob- Ject 1s to operate the dehydrating column man efficient manner by' avoiding the return thereto of the dilute alcohol obtained 1n the distillate from the dehydrating column,by separating the 'dilute alcohol from the benzol of the distillate, and rectifying the dilute alcohol in the alcohol recovery column, thus returning to the dehydrating column the alcohol Vin a concentrated form. A further object is to have the benzol returned as a warm liquid when separated from the dilute alcohol and the alcohol when rectified returned as a vapor, so as to take advantage of its high latent heat of vapor ization in order to economize the heat used 1n the process. Further ob'ects of my inventlon will be seen from the ollowing detailed While my invention is capable of embodiment'm many diierent forms, for the purpose of illustration' I shall describe only certain forms thereof hereinafter, and while it 1s capable of being carried out in many different kinds of apparatus I have shown only one form of the same in the accompanying drawings, yin whichlThe gure is a diagrammatic representation of an apparatus which may be used incarry'ing out my invention.

. ile my invention may be` carried out in connection with many ldilierent. types of liquid mixtures or solutions I shall, forexample, describe it in'connection with the production vof absolute .ethyl alcohol from a solution containing -ethyl alcohol, water and benzol.

In the drawings, I have shown a dehydratingcolumn 1 designed with a number ofA 11o columns are usually constructed,

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` nary mixture evolved from mator 17, provided with by weight 55% to a condenser 19,

plates in the manner in which rectifying said column having a steam heating coil 2 located at the bottom thereof and a trapped drawo 3 for the absolute alcohol or other liquid to be obtained in pure forni therefrom. The alcohol vapors are fed into the column through a feedpipe 4, said alcohol having, for example, a strength of 9,5% and having a temperature, for example, of above 78.4 C. It will be understood, however, that the alcohol may, if desired, be fed into the column in the form ofa liquid at some point higher up in the column at a point only one half as far down in the column as the present location of the alcohol vapor inlet. As the alcohol vapors ascend in the column they meet a current of benzol which enters at the to of the column through a trapped ipe 5 initially supplied with an amount of enzol' Vwhich isdeterminedV according to the size ofthe column and the rate of feed of the incoming alcohol. The feed of benzol is preferably such that inthe system at any given time there would be approximately equal parts by benzol, although a slightly smaller quantity of the benzol than of the 95% alcohol is considered preferable.

A ternary constant boiling mixture con taining approximately by weight 74.1% of benzol, 7.4% of water and 18.5% of alcohol is driven off from .the top of the column through a vapor pipe 6 to a condenser from which the condensate is conducted through a pipe to a separating chamber 10 wherel the condensate separates into t'wo layers. -The upper or benzol layer contains approximately by weight 15% of alcohol, 4% of water and 81% of benzol while the lower or water layer comprises approximately ofalcohol, 35% of-water and 10% of benzol. The upper layer passes out of the chamber 10 through a vented and trapped pipe 11 to a benzol recovery column 12. The column 12 is heated with a steam coil 13, the substantially pure benzol which flows from the bottom of the column being conveyed by a trapped pipe 14 with the aid of a pump or flash-pot 15 and the pipe 5 to the top of the dehydrating column, so as to provide a relux'for the same, in. the form rof a hot liquid, while the evolved vapors of dilute alcohol containing some benzol, and probably constituting a mixture similar in composition to the terthe top of the dehydrating column, are conveyed away from the column by a pipe 16 to a. dephlega trapped return pipe 18 leading to the top of the benzol recovery column, and from the dephlegmator from Ywhich the condensate is returned in part to the' pipe 18 weight of 95% alcohol and 8 to al tail-box 9 and thence to the refluxneeded, and thence, said benzol recovery accodin also, to t ie top of the column. v

The lower or water layer formed in the separating chaniber passes out of lthe same by a pipe 2O to a scrubbing chamber 2l where the liquid is scrubbed by means of an inilowing current of water containing aproxiniately 1% of alcohol, and which has een passed through a cooler 21a supplied thereto from the bottom of an alcohol rccovery column 22 by means of a trapped pipe 23 connected to the bottom thereof and a pump or flash-p thereupon formed in the scrubbing chamber 21, the upper or benzol la er passing out ot 24. Two layers are isy connected to the trapped pipe 11 leading to the side of the benzol recovery column 12. The lower or water layer in the scrubbing chamber 21 is conveyed laway from the lower portion thereof by means of-a vented and trapped pipe 26 to theI side of the alcohol recovery column 22. This pipe 26 receives, also, the remainder of the condensate from the benzol recovery column 12, which is conveyed therefrom by means of a pipe 27 having a tail-box 28 therein. The alcohol recovery column 22 has a steam coil 29 at the bottom thereof and a draw-oli pipe 22 for some of the waste water, and the vapors comprising approximately by weight 93% of alcohol, 5% of water and 2% of benzol, which escape pass out by a pipe 3() to a dephlegmator 31, from which a reflux passes through a pipe 32 having a tail-box'33 to the top of the alcohol recovery column. From the dephlegfrom the top of said column pass through a pipe34 to the alcohol vapor feed pipe 4 leading to the side of the dehydrating column 1 thus supplying the said column with a current of hot alcohol vapors to be dehydrated, together with the main supply of alcohol vapors fed to the column through the pipe .4. If desired, it will be understood, however, that these vapors from the dephlegmator 31 may be condensed and supplied to the column 1 in the form of a liquid at a point higher up in said column as above pointed out. It will be noted,also that the different portions of the apparatus to be'observed and controlled may be located on the same' operating floor as indicated in the drawings. During the operation of my process if any additional benzol is required to be added ythis can be readily introduced through the inlet pipe 5.

It will be noted that in carryingl out my process the dehydratin column is su plied with a refiuxing liqui comprised o substantially pure benzol. By this means there is a more efficient dehydration in the column, as there is a smaller percentage of alcohol evolved from the top of the column inthe Levens form df vapors than would otherwise be the case. Also, as there is no water fed back intothe column (except the small percentage through pipe 34) and inasmuch as a smaller number of plates can be used in the column and as, furthermore, a smaller amount of reflux will fulfill the requirements of the process than would be the case if the mixed llquid containing alcohol,l water and benzol were used asa reiux. Also, it will be seen that there is a more eliicient recovery of alcohol due to the use of the water obtained from the bottom of the alcohol recovery column which contains some alcohol. Furthermore, owin tothe. recover of impurities from the enzol frecovery column, comprising alcohol and water, and the separation of thesame in the alcohol recovery column, the alcohol therein is recovered and returned to the dehydrating column without the necessity of introducing therewith the considerable percentage of I water present. Also, it will be noted that the alcohol from thealcohol recovery column is supplied in the form of a vapor, so as to take advantage of its'highjlatent heat of vaporization and the benzol is supplied as a warm liquid from the benzol recovery column to the alcohol dehydrating column so that the heat utilized in the process is used to the best advantage.

While I have described 'my invention above in detail I wish it to be understood that man changes may be made therein without epartingv from the spirit of the same. i

I claim:

1. In a process of obtaining absolute alcohol by continuously distilling a mixtureof an alcohol water and al third liquid, miscible with the alcohol but substantially immiscible with water and which forms with 'water and the alcohol a ternary minimumvboiling mixture which spontaneously vsettles into two layers upon condensing the vapor thereof, to form a constant boillnn mixture and to obtain absolute alcohol, ande condensing the'evolved vapors and allowing liquid layers to separate out; the improvement characterized by distilling. the layer richer in the third liquid to recover at least a portion of it in pure form and returning it to the first named mixture undergoing d1stillation.

2; In a process of obtaining absolute alcohol by continuously distilling a mixture of an alcohol water and a third' liquid, miscible 'with the alcoholbut substantially immiscible with water, to forma constant boiling mixture and to obtain absolute alcohol, and condensing the evolved vapors and allowing liquid layers to separate out; the improvement characterized by distilling the layer richer in the third liquid to recover at least a portion of it as a residue in pure form and returning it to the first named mixture undergoinfr distillation, and condensing the liquid layers t'separate out; the improve-- ment characterized by distilling the layer richer 1n the third liquid to recover at least a-portion of 1t 1n pure form and returning it to the iirst lnamed mixture undergoingv distillation, washin thel layer poorer in the third liquid andu ric er in alcohol to remove.

residual third liquid therefrom rectifying the a ueous alcohol so obtained to recover a hig strength alcohol, returning the latter to the first named mixture undergoing distillation and using the Weak alcoholic residuum from said rectification as the washing liquid for said alcoholicr layer.

4. In a process of separating the constitu ents of a mixture of three liquids that form a ternary minimum constant boiling mixture, which upon condensing settles into layers, the steps comprising distilling the mlxture so as to leave a ortion of one of said liquids in Vsubstantial y pureftorm as a residue, condensing the constant boiling mixture evolved and allowing it to settle into layers, rectifying one ofv the layers so as to recover at least a ortion of one of said three liquids other t an said residue in pure form andv returning it to the mixture 'being distilled, treating t e other layer so as to re y cover therefrom, in concentrated form, at

least a. portion of the other one of the liquids s which is not the same as lsaid residue, and returning it to the first-mentioned mixture being distilled.

distillation so .as to evolve a' constant boiling mixture and leave a residue of one of the liquids, condensing the constant boiling mixture evolved and allowing it to settle into layers, rectifying one of the layers to recover at least a portion of one 'of said three liquids other than said residue in pure form and returning it to the first named mixturekv being distilled, washing the other layer to substantiall completely separatey out the f saine one o the three constituents recovered in pure form from the said one of the la ers and returning a portion of it. to the' rst named mixture being distilled, rectifying the washings to recover trated orm, the same one of said three cono, stituents obtained as a residue in the firstmentioned distillation and returning it to' the first named mixture being distilled, and

-using the residuum of this last named' rectifiwashed to recover ture so as to cation as washing liquid for the aforesaid washing.

7. The process of making absolute alcohol from an aqueous alcohol which comprises distilling the aqueous alcohol -in a column still while feeding substantially Apure benzol into the topl of the column, so as to evolve a constant boiling mixture from the top of the column and leavel a residue of absolute alco-v hol'at the bottom of said column, condensing the vapors evolved and allowing the liquid to separate into two layers, distilling the layer richer in benzol to recover substantially pure benzol, and Isupplying the latter to the said column as aforesaid 8. The invention in claim 7 wherein the layer poorer in benzol separated out is the benzol therein, and the latter is added to the benzol previously separated out for distillation.

9. The process which comprises se ing an alcohol from a-mixture of an a cohol, water and benzol, by rectif ing said mixevolve there rom a ternary minimum boiling mixture as a vapor leaving arattherefrom, in -concen the --alcohol vas vapor, allowin Ithe condensate to settle into a plurality of ayers and then scrubbing the layer of said liquid ,containing the higher percentage of the alcohol for the recovery of the benzol therefrom substantially free a residue, condensing the fromthe alcohol, rectifying the layer of liqycondensate toA sett e into a plurality of layers and then scrubbing the layer of said liquid containing the higher percentage ofl the benzol` the alcoholfor'the recovery o therefrom substantially free from the'alcohol, rectifyin'g the layer of liquid containing the higher percentage of said alcohol resul ing from the scrub ing` so as to obtain the alcohol in a more concentrated form as the distillate thereof, and utilizing the residual liquid from tion for said scrubbing.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto Set my Ihand this 28day of Nov., 1922. f

DONALD B. KEYES.

thesecond mentioned rectificav 

